Armed citizens protest against gun control at Arizona Capitol

PHOENIX — Gun rights supporters carried holstered handguns, semi-automatic rifles and signs in support of their Second Amendment rights Friday morning outside of the Arizona State Capitol.

The group of approximately 100 people are concerned with the possibility of much stricter gun control laws coming out of Congress after the Newtown school shooting. Holly Murphy said she feels the need to have an AR-15 rifle which could eventually fall under an assault weapons ban.

“I’m speaking up for women who want AR-15s and high-capacity ammo magazines. We’re defending our homes and children and we need the extra rounds. There could be multiple intruders. A 250-pound man who intrudes into a home may not be taken down with four bullets.”

Murphy also fears the possibility of much tighter gun laws.

“First it’s our high-capacity magazines,” she said. “Who knows what it will be next? I’m here to make sure our rights are not taken away.”

The group largely doesn’t support universal background checks and said it’s time to start enforcing the laws already on the books.

Mike Smith said gun opponents are using tragedies like the Aurora, Colo. movie theater shooting and the Sandy Hook school shooting to take the rights away from legal gun owners.

“They think taking guns away is going to stop people from killing each other? It’s not. They’re jumping onboard with an assault weapons ban when they account for less than 1 percent of all gun deaths.”